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Read some of our customer ratingsThe menopause is a natural process women go through and it is a normal part of life. It can also be a daunting and confusing experience for many women who are unsure if their symptoms are menopausal or even normal. Here at A.Vogel Talks Menopause, our menopause expert Eileen Durward explains what the menopause is, offers solutions to the symptoms and reassures us that we can get through the menopause naturally.
The menopause is the natural process women go through as they reach a certain age and is a normal part of life.
The first use of the term “menopause” is said to have been in 17th Century France. However, it is only relatively recently that there has been general awareness of menopause as a concept – 100 years ago, life expectancy was much shorter and few women lived long enough to experience it. Those who did were most likely the wealthy elite who would never dream of speaking about such matters anyway.
The word “menopause” is derived from Greek – mĕn or menos meaning “month” and pausis meaning “to stop”. This fits in very well with the medical definition of menopause, which is defined as the point when monthly periods, or menstruation, finally stops.
However, periods rarely just suddenly disappear in the menopause. Typically, the odd one might be missed or arrive late; periods may become heavier and less regular before ceasing completely.
This change in the normal pattern of the menstrual cycle may be accompanied by psychological symptoms such as mood swings, irritability, lowering of self-confidence as well as hot flushes and night sweats. These, and other menopausal symptoms, may be experienced for a few months or years.
Many people describe this phase as ‘going through the menopause’, ‘the change’ or ‘the change of life’. Scientifically, it is referred to as the peri-menopause – the period leading up to the menopause.
This is a common question without a simple answer. Women may experience menopausal symptoms for some time before their final menstrual period (peri-menopause) and also, for some time after.
Many women go through the menopause experiencing a minimum of symptoms, coping well without the need for any treatment. However, others find that the menopausal symptoms experienced affect their quality of life and seek help and advice.
To understand what happens during the menopause, it will be helpful to know how monthly periods come about before one reaches the menopause. Follow our link to read more information on the menstrual cycle.
Before the menopause (and after puberty), a woman typically releases an egg each month. This process is controlled by a small gland in the brain, called the pituitary gland.
The older we become, the less fit we are and bearing a child later in life has higher risks for both mother and child. Nature recognises this and our genes are programmed in such a way that, when a woman reaches a certain point in her life, her body says that it is not wise to produce any more eggs.
When this happens, the hormones produced by the pituitary gland decline. This signals to the ovaries that eggs are no longer required and ovulation stops. The previously regular cycle of thickening and shedding of the lining of the womb is no longer required and periods stop. Levels of progesterone and oestrogen fall.
So biologically, menopause marks the end of the fertile period in a woman’s life and helps serve the purpose of ensuring that a woman bearing a child is fit to do so.
Changes in hormone levels during the menopause lead directly and indirectly to a wide variety of symptoms. The most common are hot flushes and night sweats, probably caused by hormonal changes altering the way the body perceives heat.
Although all women will go through the menopause, there is no fixed or standard experience that can be described.
However the menopause affects you, one thing must be remembered – the menopause is not an illness but a natural process which your body has to go through once you reach a certain age.
The menopause is sometimes thought of negatively, partly because it is associated with becoming older. However, there are some benefits to the menopause.
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FerminVulge — 06.08.2023 16:27
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AM — 19.07.2022 10:32
Can you take these supplements along side HRT
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eileen — 19.07.2022 14:54
Hi AM
Yes, you can take both Menoforce and Menopause Support with HRT
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Camilla Cleary — 11.01.2022 16:13
Hi my hot flashes and night sweats were under control for the past 12 months. I received my covid booster and two days later im back to square one horrendous night sweats. Could the booster have something to do with this .
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eileen — 12.01.2022 12:03
Hi Camilla
We do know that physical or emotional shocks can affect the nervous system which can then lead to a return or worsening of menopause symptoms so it is possible that the booster could be a factor.
You may find supporting the nervous system with magnesium and a vitamin B Complex can be of benefit and you could take a sage tablet with your evening meal, if you're not already taking the herb
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